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Central Mindanao University College of Engineering Department of Civil Engineering Lecture Notes in...

Central Mindanao University College of Engineering Department of Civil Engineering Lecture Notes in CE 35 – Building Systems Design UNIT II –Technical Documentation SPACE PLANNING Space planning is a dynamic process that includes several factors. The principles of space planning involve satisfying a defined criterion on a priority basis – as a result, space planning is frequently about compromise. This being said, the planning of a building's space needs is always more than one solution. We look at some of the main space planning processes, the questions you need to ask your client and yourself, and how this information can be converted into space planning diagrams. Phase 1: Collection of Information The design of a building or room may have several client or end-user specifications. It is important to carry out in-depth research at the very early stages of design and understand as many aspects of space use as possible. Some include certain considerations:  Do the spaces have specific functions or need to be particular shapes or forms?  Do the spaces need to be flexible? Is it possible to create a sequence of spaces (offices, museums for example)?  Do the spaces have different requirements in terms of light, ventilation, view, and accessibility?  Do the spaces need to have access to external spaces?  Must any of the spaces have particular security or privacy?  Are there any hierarchical requirements for the spaces?  What relationships must each space have with one another and the external environment?  How should the spaces be connected?  Which rooms need to be adjacent to one another and which rooms need to be apart? An example of some questions to consider if you are designing a residential unit:  What is the family size and structure?  Location of site  Number of levels  Family or individual interests and activities The more information and data that can be collected in these earlier stages, the easier it will be to make the leap from data to diagrams and drawings as you proceed through the space planning process. Phase 2: Interpret Requirements Looking at how to build spaces and fit humans in those spaces we may find certain basic ideas of how people communicate with their environments.  Insider vs outsider  Individual vs community  Invitation vs rejection  Openness vs enclosure  Integration vs segregation  Combination vs dispersion  Invitation vs Rejection Openness vs Enclosure Individual vs Community Integration vs Segregation Combination vs Dispersion Having these considerations in mind we will begin to build a requirements plan, extracting from the data we have gathered the required functions these spaces must fulfill. In some cases, it is appropriate to develop a matrix/table that shows the requirements of each room, in terms of privacy, daylight, access, equipment, and so forth, along with writing out any additional requirements or special considerations for each room. This information will be a useful reference as you work through the spaces of each room and start to develop some sketch diagrams. Phase 3: Consideration of Spaces and Spatial Relationships Spatial Relationships How can spaces be related to one another?  Space within a space  Interlocking spaces  Spaces linked by a common space  Adjacent spaces Organizing the Space You can consider a varying form of spatial organization, some of which are more naturally suited to particular uses than others:  Centralized organization  Linear organization  Radial organization  Clustered organization  Grid organization Consider some of the following as you plan out your spaces:  How does the envelope affect the internal spaces?  How will the contents of the room be arranged?  Do the rooms connect? What is the flow of the circulation?  Are the proportions of the spaces comfortable? Phase 4: Developing Circulation How people move around the building from room to room is just as important as the destination. When developing a circulation structure, we can look at a few basic principles.  How efficient is the circulation in getting from point A to point B?  Is circulation discrete? What is the fluidity of the circulation?  Is there a smooth-flowing route or a more direct route?  Does the circulation route clash with furnishing requirements? Phase 5: Create the Solution When the spaces have been discussed and the criteria identified, it is time to begin sketching out diagrams of the relationship. The relationship diagram takes your design from data to a more visual look at physically planning out your space. It's abstract and rough, but it helps you to develop your understanding of the requirements and imagine how the spaces fit together and how the interaction between them can flow. At this stage, the diagram does not need to represent the building size or space, but more a look at how each room relates to one another, sizes, and so on. Let’s look at some examples: As your sketch diagrams develop you can begin to build a rough sketch plan of your spaces, this is sometimes known as bubble diagramming. The bubble diagram helps you make the connection between basic spatial requirements and a fully drafted floor plan. It is essentially a trial-and-error method of exploring the configuration options. If you are working within the constraints of an existing building you can print out the floor plan and work within that. However, if you are designing a new building the bubble diagram can often be connected with your concept and site analysis to develop the design. During this process, it is important to keep referring back to the initial data collected and the relationship diagram to ensure you are considering all aspects of the design requirements. This is an opportunity to try out both safe and common ideas as well as more unpredictable solutions as you introduce short sketchy ideas. At this point, it is often useful to have a general idea of the size requirements of certain areas. For example, in a residential house, it is useful to know a rough size of a double bedroom, or an average living room size in order to start making sense of the spaces. Books like The Metric Handbook Planning and Design Data by Littlefield and Neufert Architects Data are great references and contain stacks of data that would start you off in the right direction. You can also create a small library of 'rule of thumb' plans which you can refer to improve your space planning time. Seek various configurations and choices, draw your ideas, and how the spaces should relate to each other. When you work through the various options, make notes of the pros and cons, costs, etc. on each, so that you can conveniently dismiss alternatives that you don't think would work at a later stage. Phase 6: Review and Revise After some ideas have been sketched, these ideas can then be checked and areas requiring improvement can be searched for. Stuff we should remember when looking at a residential scheme:  How will the occupants move from room to room?  Does the circulation cut up space? Does guest traffic flow through private areas?  Are the doors and windows in suitable positions?  Do they interfere or add to the overall spatial plan?  Does the plan orientate itself correctly with the site?  Do the rooms work well in relation to one another? Upon reviewing your initial sketches and ideas the designs can be further established by adding more detail and improving your drawings. Reference to any building laws, codes and standards that will affect your space planning to ensure that your design is compliant from an early stage is important. Also Read: The National Building Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree 1096) RULE VII – CLASSIFICATION AND GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF ALL BUILDINGS BY USE OR OCCUPANCY Section 705. Allowable Floor Areas Section 706. Allowable Floor Areas Increases Section 707. Maximum Height of Buildings RULE VIII - LIGHT AND VENTILATION REFERENCE: Learning Module on Building Systems Design developed by the Technological Institute of the Philippines.